


One Night Only

by tarynnlei



Category: Gintama
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Casual Sex, Edo Period, F/M, Future, Gekijouban Gintama Kanketsu-hen: Yorozuya yo Eien Nare | Be Forever Yorozuya, Heartbreak, Light Angst, Mild Smut, One Night Stands, One Shot, Romance, Shinsengumi - Freeform, War, Yorozuya Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-27
Updated: 2019-03-03
Packaged: 2019-11-06 17:53:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17944355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tarynnlei/pseuds/tarynnlei
Summary: After discovering Sakata Gintoki's death, Kagura had abandoned Edo to deal with the overwhelming emotions of grief and confusion. Returning five years later and still unable to cope with the news, the Yato turns to the help of bars and alcohol to aid her in recovering with no apparent use... that is, until a familiar face slides in the stool beside her.





	1. First Night

**Author's Note:**

> Hi Everyone! 
> 
> This is my first of many fics that I'll be posting both on here and on my new tumblr: tarynnlei. 
> 
> I'm a hardcore Okikagu shipper but may branch into writing for other ships once I get my bearings on this site, in the meantime, I hope you enjoy reading! 
> 
> Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Gintama or any of its characters. They all belong to our favourite gorilla, Sorachi Hideaki.

It was always the coldest and most miserable nights that Kagura found herself dragging her feet into whatever snack bar was open at the ungodly hour of two in the morning. She had left Sadaharu to rest at the neglected Yorozuya building along with her enormous umbrella, as she wanted to feel the harsh winds whip across her face and the rain prickle against her skin in a sorry attempt to get her to feel something again. Kagura flipped her soaked vermillion hair over her shoulder as she slid onto the few barstools that the place had to offer. One slight raise of a hand and the barkeep was already sliding a bottle of sake with an accompanying cup in front of her. Even at this time, the bar was still heavily occupied with men who had the same intention as her; to get piss-poor drunk in order to forget their troubles. Though she knew known of them even thought to approach her despite her looks, they knew exactly who she was and what she would do if they even dared. Kagura was about to pour herself a drink when the bottle was nimbly swiped from her fingers by a man in a red and white hakama.

“Long time no see, China.” The voice drawled.

She felt an emotion within her flicker to life, an emotion that she had not felt in a very long while. Hell, it’s been impossible to feel anything ever since Gin-chan died, but the presence of Okita Sougo always managed to make her react no matter how many years passed. But she was not that fourteen-year-old girl anymore that would fall for his cheap tricks to instigate a fight, even if she would trade anything to go back to those simpler times – when everyone was still together. Alive. Kagura boredly turned her head and met those reddish brown eyes and the familiarity of it tugged at her.

“It hasn’t been long enough, Sadist,” she sighed, resting her head in the palm of her propped arm.

Then, as if remembering why she was here in the first place, plucked the sake bottle back from his grip. “I see that you’re still the same rude brute as always.” Sougo smirked and slid onto the stool beside hers, as if what she had said was an invitation for him to join her.

“Glasses isn’t with you?”

Kagura poured until the clear liquid was close to overflowing and knocked back the drink before she answered. “We aren’t how we were before.”

 _That_ was a total understatement. In the earlier days, her and Shinpachi were almost inseparable. As a duo, they were always the ones running around doing the various requests that were given to the Odd Jobs, and as a team were the ones keeping Gin-chan safe and grounded. Now, she knew it was an effort for him to not pummel her into the ground whenever he saw her. At least that’s what she thought the dirty looks that he threw her way meant. Even from earlier in the day when she had arrived back in Edo, she had coincidentally seen him in a hassle with some nobodies from one of the many biker gangs that roamed the streets nowadays. She had stepped in to help and he had simply chewed her out because of it. Where there once would have been gratitude from her saving him, there was only irritation and mistrust. Kagura knocked back another drink. Thankfully, the sadist beside her didn’t question further about the situation. She glanced at him as he raised a hand for another cup, realising that he no longer looked like the psycho sadist that she remembered before she had left Edo to travel. His short brown hair that she used to enjoy yanking on in their fights was now long and secured in a high ponytail, and his face was leaner and more older too. She was mature enough now to admit that he was incredibly handsome, even when the young girl within her wanted to puke at the confession.

“When did you come back?” Sougo asked, pouring himself a knuckles-length.

“Today.”

He feigned a tone of hurt. “And you didn’t bother to stop by?”

Kagura swirled her cup in a hand and smiled, though there was no emotion behind it. “I knew you would’ve found me eventually.” She paused her toying and glanced at him. “How _did_ you find me anyways?”

Her former rival shrugged. “I saw your monster dog at the old building as I was walking by which is how I knew you were back. Finding you at a bar on the night that I also have my own problems to forget was a total coincidence.”

She paused at that. Kagura had been so busy drowning in her own sorrows that she had not even realised that the world could have changed so drastically for those who she had held dear before. She double paused at that. Did Sougo count as one of those people to her? The thought felt like an instant betrayal and there was a strange feeling that she should apologise to the man beside her for thinking such a thing. Yorozuya and Shinsengumi had always had that odd relationship; one that was fueled on rivalry as much as it was fueled on respect and camaraderie. They all loved each other as much as they wanted to pull each other’s nose hairs out. That’s how it always was. Kagura filled both their glasses as she noted the faraway look in his eyes at the mention of his issues. She assumed that that was what she permanently looked like these days.

“What’s got you looking like you’ve taken a blow to the crotch?”

The crude comment seemed to snap him out of his trance as he gave her an incredulous look. “I never thought that I’d hear such foul words from your mouth again.”

Kagura shrugged with one shoulder, the tiniest of smiles on her lips. She thought that she should try, if only for tonight. Try for the both of them, as she asked, “What do you want to forget?”

The smile on his lips faltered for a moment before he sighed, relenting. “Kondo-san’s being executed tomorrow.”

The glass that she was holding slipped out of her hands when those words left his mouth. Sake dripped onto her lap and Sougo was quick to fix the cup and grab tissues.

“You’re such a klutz, China.”

But Kagura didn’t care about her soiled cheongsam or the fact that her old, sadist friend was trying to reduce the chances of it staining with tissues. Gori– No, _Kondo_ was being executed. Kagura gripped Sougo’s wrists, forcing his attention away from the small accident and towards her.

“Why?”

It was the only word that she could utter. Sougo sighed and glanced around the rundown bar; the rowdy men that had no intentions of quieting down. He grabbed his katana that leant against the bar and the other hand shifted to grab her wrist.

“Let’s go somewhere else.”

Needing to know more of the events that had occurred in Edo while she had disappeared, Kagura listened in a rare moment of obedience as the pair sneakily snuck out of the bar before the barkeep could demand their bill. The rain had lightened to a refreshing sprinkle and the streets were unceremoniously dead, save for the few dim lights that lit up their path. They walked in a moment of silence, Kagura giving him time to sort through his thoughts to tell her exactly what happened to make the former chief of the Shinsengumi to have to be put on death row. Finally, he recounted what had happened and the story was so utterly ridiculous and Kondo-like that she couldn’t restrain a small laugh from escaping her lips. As soon as it had though, Kagura clapped a hand over her mouth and stifled it before it could become something more. Sougo turned to her then, a small smile gracing his own mouth at the hilarity of the story that faltered when he looked at her.

“Why do you do that?” He asked.

Kagura remained still even as he continued.

“It’s like you purposefully try to prevent yourself from feeling.”

Slowly, he reached out and pulled away her hand that covered her mouth and was it the sprinkling of the rain, or the glow of the moonlight, or the slight influence of the alcohol that made her think that at that moment, Okita Sougo looked handsome beyond reason? She shook the traitorous thoughts away.

“Gin-chan is dead,” she deadpanned, “I’m not allowed to be happy anymore.”

Sougo scoffed at that. “Danna is dead, so to pay respects to him, you don’t let yourself be happy? Are we talking about the same guy here?”

Kagura’s chest tightened as they continued to walk and her old home came into view.

“If you want to pay respects to the boss, you have to live your life with that same obnoxious smile that he loved so much, understand, idiot?”

She couldn’t stop the tears that flowed as she stared up at her home and the absolute truth in Sougo’s words. Though Kagura knew that in their current world, being utterly miserable was easier and more fitting than trying to be her old, carefree self. Especially when those around her were so incredibly down too. But this was _her_ Gin-chan that they were talking about. How could she have been so stupid to think that her misery would make him happy wherever he was resting? A breathy laugh escaped her as she wiped away her tears.

“This is so unlike you, Sadist. Aren’t you supposed to be putting me down?”

Sougo shrugged. “You’re miserable and I’m comforting. Let’s let the oddness of it all slide for only tonight.”

There was a sudden boldness that overtook her at the other interpretations that his words had. To let everything odd that occurred tonight slide as if it never happened. His words and his presence ever since he swiped the bottle from her fingers had led to the tendering of this small flame within her. The small flame of her former self perhaps that she had thought would have been snuffed out the day her Earth father had passed. Kagura gripped the sleeve of Sougo’s hakama to test the waters; whether he snatched his arm away or let her do it, would determine her next move.

“What is it, China? Need to vomit?”

“Take me home,” she said.

“We’re already outside–”

Kagura shook her head and tightened her grip on his sleeve. “Not here.” As if realising the meaning behind her cryptic words, a darkened look stirred within his eyes, and for a moment she could recognise that infamous sadist that she had grown to know so well.

“You don’t know what you’re saying, China,” he said, though his voice had become slightly strained.

“Sougo.”

Kagura could have sworn that he shivered at the sound of his name on her lips and in that moment, she knew what he felt before he even uttered a word.

***      *      ***

In truth, he had wanted her to be his since he was nineteen.

All of the time before then, Okita Sougo had only ever seen Kagura as Danna’s adopted kid and an absolute pain in his backside ever since he first met her at the cherry blossoms. But as time passed and through many countless battles between them and more serious situations that they had overcome together, he ended up developing feelings that went beyond his code of being her eternal tormentor – Sougo found himself _softening_ up towards the girl as they grew up together and the possibility for them to be something more lingered. That was, until everything came crashing down in an instant; Danna died, the White Plague was introduced, and Kagura had disappeared in the midst of it all, leaving him behind. Though here they were now. Together. In some sick twist of fate that had connected them together once more in the rubble and debris of heartbreak and misery. Danna was dead. Kondo-san was going to be executed tomorrow. It seemed they both had some serious pent-up issues that needed to be released, and what better way to go about it than to do it together? Kagura’s earlier boldness had struck a flame within him that he supposed only she could ignite. Not the type that made him want to slash and stab, but the kind that made him want to nurture and protect. Tonight was odd, indeed. Her grip on his sleeve had been replaced with their intertwined fingers as he led her towards where he was accommodated as a new rebel. It didn’t take long for them to fumble their way through the darkness of the halls, Sougo had lived here long enough to know the routes and steps to take even in the darkness, and soon they were under his sheets. He gently removed her signature hair ornament from the side of her head and placed it elsewhere, strands of vermillion entwining in his fingers as he did so. Kagura was busy pulling down his shirt, her cold fingers dancing across his chiseled chest – the movements making him shiver with delight. Though he paused when he noted the wetness of her eyes. Indeed, they both needed the distraction tonight. Desperately.

“China.”

Her gaze shot from his chest to his face, small surprise as her expression from the softness of his voice. A tone that he would only ever use with her. For her. It seemed to only make her sadder as two teardrops slipped simultaneously from her azure eyes. The pain that she felt… would he be enduring the same once tomorrow was over? The thought made his throat close up. Sougo placed a hand on her milky white cheek, brushing the tears away, and the urge to kiss her was dangerously overwhelming. As if she could read his thoughts, Kagura slightly tilted her face upwards and whispered, “Kiss me.”

He hesitated as he knew it would be her first and the situation wasn’t ideal for a girl who he knew took petty things such as ‘firsts for everything’ extremely seriously. Though he had forgotten that some parts of that girl died the day Danna had, as Kagura snaked a hand around the back of his neck and pulled his face towards her. It was an open-mouthed kiss as Kagura poured all of her pent-up emotions into it and he was there to receive it all. And he would always be. As he kissed her back, his hands running up the sides of her body, Sougo decided that he would slash his belly before he let her disappear alone again. _Never again_. He repeated those words to her like a mantra as they feverishly kissed and touched, as if it were their last day on Earth, and with the situation that was the White Plague, it sure as hell could be. So Sougo stripped his China free from her white cheongsam, his stare raking over her naked body; her milky white skin. The very heat of that gaze had Kagura begging him for more as she stripped his own clothing and tossed it somewhere across the room. _Too long_ , he thought as he spread her legs wide for him. They had been deprived of each other for too long. As Sougo plunged over and over into his lover, hand gripping her hair, her breathy voice moaning in his ear, he forgot about the dire situation that they were all currently suffering in. Forgot about the decay of Edo, the threat of the White Plague that hung over everyone’s head, and the execution of his father figure that was scheduled in a few hours. No, all that he could think about now was the beautiful woman below him, and the wonderful taste and feel of her. After all of their suffering, this moment of bliss belonged only to them, and the world that brought them so much pain could go to hell.


	2. A Repeated Offence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Despite the help of her former rival to soothe the tensions in her mind and body, Kagura continues to struggle with the gaping hole in her chest that had been left by those who she had loved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Everybodyyy!! 
> 
> So this story has officially had it's 'one-shot' title STRIPPED and has become a little series because of all of the positive reactions from all of you!!
> 
> Seriously, your comments mean the world to me and they always bring a smile to my face whenever I get to read them, and they have successfully convinced me to continue with this story (I'm a sucker to peer pressure). I hope you enjoy this chapter and let me know what you think! 
> 
> Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Gintama or any of its characters. They all belong to our favourite gorilla, Sorachi Hideaki.

“You’re distracted.”

It took a moment for Kagura to process her lover’s words before she replied lightly, “I’m not.”

Okita tugged lightly on some strands of her hair that had become entangled in his fingers, his lips slightly hovering above the base of her throat. “Should I stop?”

His hot breath on her bare neck had her heart escalating to the point that it was a miracle she had let herself become distracted from the man in front of her in the first place. Kagura braced her hands on Okita’s muscled chest, then explored further down the dips and crevices of his back before sliding them down his toned arms.

“Don’t stop,” she murmured.

Yes, how could she possibly let herself be distracted by petty things when the only distraction she needed from this confusing world was right here in front of her? Okita smirked before kissing her lavishly, moving lower to give her neck the attention it deserved. Kagura tilted her head back against her futon and ran her fingers through his silky hair, the sensations of his breath and tongue making all parts of her body tingle. What they were doing _had_ supposed to be for one night only when Kagura had returned to Edo, but it wasn’t long before they were getting drunk again and ending up between Okita’s sheets until dawn. And she didn’t mind it at all. She had no one else left anyways. Otose’s was off limits as she knew Shinpachi was always there, Otae’s was _definitely_ out of the question due to the same reason, and the Yorozuya building…

Kagura refused to let the thought sadden her in this moment as she immersed herself in the feeling of Okita’s hands skimming the sides of her bare body before lingering lower to exactly where she wanted it to be. Who would’ve thought that in a million years that the only place that the Yato could feel safe was under the shelter of her former rival, preferably in between his arms? She could almost feel the ghost of her younger self spasming at the thought. Though, she supposed it _would_ take the end of the world and the missing presence of Gin-chan for her and the sadist to finally open up to each other. Kagura let a small moan slip out as she felt Okita insert his fingers within her, and all the thoughts eddied out of her head once more. He was her perfect distraction, as she was his. The night of Kondo’s execution, Okita had made love to her so thoroughly that she remembered wanting to feel every sensation that he had given her again, though she hadn’t admitted that to him as it sounded so ridiculously clingy. But Kondo _hadn’t_ been executed the next day, rather he was saved from a Gin-chan cosplayer, Chinpo. Okita had been so exhilarated from the rescue and the thrill of slaying so many guards that his signature sadistic smile was plastered on his face for the entire night as he paid for his rebel faction’s drinks, including hers. Then one thing had led to the other… and now their meetings here had become almost routine. She _was_ glad that Kondo was safe and that the sadist had his father-figure back even when she did feel a sickly twisting in her gut every time she saw them together _–_ saw the familial warmth and love between the reunited former-Shinsengumi triad that she would never personally experience again from her own trio. All of the warmth from the body above hers sapped away as Okita pulled himself back and flopped down beside her. In shock, she turned her head to look at him.

“What are you doing?”

Okita closed his eyes and placed his hands behind his head, settling comfortably in. “I don’t want to have sex with a woman who can’t even keep all of her attention on me.”

“Are you sulking?”

“No.”

“I’m sorry,” she sighed, her finger reaching over to trace the line of his jaw, “I’ll behave now, I swear.”

But the stubborn brat brushed her hand away and resumed his former position as if he were sleeping, and despite the mildness of the action, she felt her chest squeeze uncomfortably tight. Had she just ruined the one thing that was becoming good in her life? All because she couldn’t stop the tsunami of thoughts that flooded her mind when their short times together were supposed to be about them, and _only_ them _._ She had broken one of the rules of their agreement. The thought of it made her breath quicken and her chest cave tightly. She had ruined it for them and the consequences of that made beads of sweat appear on her forehead. Okita was going to abandon her too, just like Shinpachi had, and Gin-chan. She had screwed it up again. _Don’t leave me too, please, please –_

“CHINA.”

Kagura’s eyes shot open to see Okita looking down at her, his expression a mask of rare concern, as his hands gripped her wrists that she hadn’t even realised were trembling. She hadn’t even realised when she had closed her eyes either. Her chest was rising and falling at an irregular pace, her heart beating as if she had run a marathon. But she hadn’t. The thought of losing Okita as she had lost everyone else had made her feel this way, the bubbling feelings of anxiousness that she had not felt since Gin-chan died making a reappearance for the _sadist_ out of everyone. Okita’s dark eyes searched her face, looking for the invisible threat that had unnerved her to the point that he had never seen before. Physical wounds on Kagura were the norm and she showed them off as if they were accessories on her body, but a threat that had been purely internal and had racked her whole body with tremors… it brought about a new fear that he had not experienced before. He placed a hand against her cheek and the action seemed to soothe her, if only a little.

“What’s wrong?” It was all that he could think to say.

“Don’t leave me,” she whispered, as if she hadn’t even heard him. “Don’t leave me, please.”

Realisation dawned on him and it was as if a pitcher of cold water had been dumped over his head. Here was a woman who had lost literally everyone that she had loved _–_ a lost soul wandering in the dumps for a place to call home again. And he had offered her one here. Made her feel loved and warm again to the best of his abilities. And without meaning to harm, Okita had brushed her away simply for the petty reason that he knew her full attention wasn’t on him at the time that he wanted it most. He was stupid. So stupid. Kagura clasped her hands against his palm and leaned her face into it, as if the very touch of him was her only salvation. Okita leaned his forehead against hers, and whispered repeatedly, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” But the words didn’t feel like enough to fix what he had done. He hadn’t realised _–_ hadn’t realised just how broken she was, and it physically pained him to see her this way. Okita kissed Kagura softly and it took her a moment to kiss him back, as if she was unsure as to whether he would simply disappear again. But he wouldn’t. Not ever. _Never again._ Okita pulled back and brushed a thumb against a tear that had slipped down her smooth cheek.

“Wherever you go, I go,” he promised, “I’m never letting you be alone again.” That would be his new code. Kagura’s body shook once more, but he knew it wasn’t from sadness anymore. He swore it upon his name, and his title as a samurai.

  
The next time he saw tears from Kagura’s eyes, they would be from happiness and _only_ happiness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another prettyyyy angsty chapter, I'm sorry for making our best girl, Kagura feel like this but these are the kinds of emotions that I really imagined her to have when I watched how she was in the Gintama Movie. 
> 
> Let me know in the comments what you guys think about this chapter and whether I should continue it, because I am literally going with the flow a.k.a I have no direction/plan for this story but if you guys want more then I'm more than happy to continue for your enjoyment! 
> 
> xx Taryn

**Author's Note:**

> And there it is. That ANGST. 
> 
> If you couldn't tell already, this fic was based on the Gintama Movie: Be Forever Yorozuya where Kagura is already in her twenties and a grown woman.
> 
> If you guys enjoyed it, please leave some love in the comments or by leaving a 'kudos' and stay tuned for more fics ! \\(°∀° )/
> 
> xx Taryn


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